Choosing Window Grids that Match Your Home
Sep 22, 2021The right types of window grids blend with the style of your home while adding special design touch
Choosing new windows for your home is a great opportunity to add a touch of design both inside and outside. The option to add window grids is one selection that lets you play with the look and feel of your home. Here’s a quick guide to choosing the grids that will work best for your home.
What are Window Grids?
In modern windows, grids are decorative inserts that visually divide a window into smaller sections. Long ago, windows used smaller glass panes held together with wood grids, also called grilles or muntins. This made it easier to manufacture windows, since large sheets of glass were difficult to make. Now that glass manufacturing and shipping are easier, grids are mostly decorative now, but still add style and historical touches to homes.
Grids or No Grids on Windows?
When choosing design elements for your project, having grids or no grids on windows comes down to three things:
1. Personal preference Do you like how your home looks with or without grids? Have you seen styles on other homes you like? Would gridless windows help you enjoy of beautiful views around your home?
2. Neighborhood Standards. Some homeowners’ associations (HOAs) require a certain grid pattern. If you live in a historic district, the preservation board may also need to weigh in.
3. Your Home’s Design. Not all grid patterns are suited to all home styles. Keep reading to learn how to choose the right one for your house.
Matching different types of window grids to different home styles
Your home’s design may be the most important factor in choosing a grid style. Here’s a little background on the four most popular options to help you identify the best one for your home.
Colonial
Colonial grids are the most popular grid style, and are great for most homes. Typically seen on colonial, Cape Cod, and some farmhouse-style homes, colonial grids are most frequently requested on popular double-hung windows. In these applications, the grids usually have a “six-up, six-down” design, meaning the top and bottom window sashes are visually divided into six panes each; however, that may differ depending on the size and shape of your window.
Prairie
Prairie Window Grids
Prairie window grids have a narrow grid around the perimeter of the sash with crosses at each corner. Like a picture frame for your window, this style leaves more open glass area in the middle of the window, while offering a designer touch around the edges. Prairie grids are popular on craftsman and prairie-style homes, and work well on double-hung, casement, and picture windows.
Diamond
Diamond Window Grids
If you live in a Tudor or Victorian-style home, diamond grids are a beautiful and period-appropriate choice. As the name implies, diamond grids visually divide window glass diagonally, for a more ornate design than other styles. This makes them perfect for classic types of architecture. Diamond grids work well on double-hung, casement, and picture windows.
Gridless
Gridless Windows
Unless specified by your HOA, window grids are always optional, and we find many homeowners opt for gridless windows for a varety of reasons. Many contemporary or Mid-Century Modern homes look best with no grids, but gridless windows can work on any home. They’re also a great way to maximize beautiful views!
Mixing grid styles
Most homeowners use the same grid styles throughout the home, but choosing multiple styles is possible. We often apply this option to double-hung windows with two sashes, sliders with a fixed center sash, or to bay or bow window installations with multiple windows.
For example, in a craftsman home, you might choose prairie grids for the top sash, and gridless windows for the bottom sash. Some colonial homes will do the same with colonial grids. Bay and bow windows combine multiple windows that you can customize. For a bay window in a Tudor-style home, consider a gridless picture window in the center, and casement windows with diamond grids on either side. The options are endless!
Considering Windows with Grids Vs No Grids? Get trained window design advice.
As you make your window design selections, the option to choose windows with grids vs no grids can open up a wealth of design ideas. Feeling overwhelmed? Improveit trained design consultants are on hand to offer their professional insight into the types of grids (or no grids!) that would work best in your home. Schedule online for a free consultation and start the conversation!
